Blithe Lies
by The Charismatic Disaster
Summary: How could she be content with him? After all, it is because of him that she is not free. Deidara/Ino Possible Thrupple Deidara/Ino/Sasori Fanfic.
1. Chapter 1: Gone

**_Disclaimer: I do Not own Naruto._**

 ** _Rated M for adult themes and scenes._**

 ** _A/N: This has always been an interesting couple for me, so we'll see how everything goes._**

 _Her beauty is fleeting, hm._

As the way it should be. Everlasting beauty is useless. Perfection should be transient.

He had strayed too far into Konoha territory, but finding her was like slipping down the rabbit hole. But it was just as rewarding as finding gold at the end of the rainbow.

There she lay. That blonde mane of hers was kissed to perfection by the light's touch. Her skin gleam, blessed by the sun's faint kisses. Her choice in clothing was minmal, but it was well-suited to her figure. She was a paragon.

She faintly resembled him.

 _Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Alluring._ Maybe that was why he was drawn to her, like a moth discovering a flame. He was vain, yes. But, there's nothing wrong with finding beauty in oneself. Confidence could go a long way.

The slit centered on the palm of his hand was wet with excitement. Would he have some fun before his rendezvous? She hadn't even noticed his presence, silently looming under the cover of the shadows, provided by the enormous tress inhabited by the Land of Fire. She twitched, fidgeting momentarily, as she stirred from a light slumber. The breeze tickled her skin, dancing as if to alert her to the existence of the stranger.

Deidara tensed, unaware he was holding his breath, as if that would keep him from being discovered.

"Exactly how long are you going to watch me?" Listening to her speak, was like listening to the soft utterance of musical chimes. _Shit_. He had underestimated her. He was an S-Class criminal, for God's sake. A silly mistake.

The leaves protested his movement, rustling in their slight anger as Deidara moved into the light. "You have some nerve speaking to me the way you do, hm."

Cyan met aquamarine, alike.

The man in front of her was not someone to be trifled with. He could tell she knew that based on the reaction she provided him. Her lips parted in awe. Ino wasted no time in getting to her feet. It would be just her luck to encounter someone of his caliber. Perhaps if she hadn't stopped to lay down, maybe she wouldn't be in this position; However, that was not his problem.

Her fingers flew to the shuriken pack strapped to her leg, she flew into action, flinging the ninja weapons at Deidara. The noble sacrifice for her country? She must know she was no match for him. _Clank, Clack!_ Deidara parried the attack, easily, though he had to admit, he had not expected her to take a running start at him. It was with that unpredictable nature, she nearly landed a potentially lethal kick to his frame. The ground cracked beneath her foot, as she righted her balance from the missed assault. He was defensive, wary of her strength. While, taijutsu had not been his specialty, as he were more of a long-ranged fighter, he could hold his own against her. Though she was not trained by the infamous kunoichi with monstrous strength, she had a bit of a wallop behind her attacks.

He did need to end this though. Surely, Danna was finished with the task at hand and patience was not his field of expertise. He could hear the air leave her lungs, as he finally came on the offensive, his foot landing on her torso. The force of that kick was able to land distance between the two. _Thud!_ Ino squeaked, the only sound leaving her body, as she shot back into the trunk of a nearby tree. Droplets of blood shot forth from her mouth, landing onto the fabric of her skirt. He took his time, stalking up on the woman, as she sat on her ass against the tree. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Let's go, Deidara." He had gotten so wrapped up in their little skirmish, he had not realized his red-heard partner had made his appearance. Sasori was finished faster than he had anticipated. "There is a patrol squadron in the near vicinity." Dull eyes glanced down to the senseless woman, leaning against the tree trunk. "We could use a medical ninja around the compound. Bring her."

"Hm," He exerted little effort, picking up the semi-unconscious woman. She was in no longer in any shape to put up a fight. He was without an argument for his red-headed counterpart. To be honest, he did not care too much to engage in one. A disagreement regarding art was far more interesting.

She was a little heavier than he thought, having more muscle on her than he had assumed. Deidara trailed off after Sasori in silence. They would exchange more words when they did not have to worry about encountering a patrol squad.

 **A/N: How did that go? I'm sorry for the short chapter. I'm definietly feeling a bit nervous after being gone for so long from writing. Should be updating this shortly, please bear with me, lol. Next chapter should be longer, with more detail. If you have any questions, let me know! They should be answered next chapter. Happy Monday! Have a great week guys.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Push

**A/N: I thought about updating like every Monday, but I'm not sure how I'm going to actually do this. I don't want to leave everyone hanging up a certain day, but at the same time I don't want like 2 weeks to go by before I've actually updated. We'll see how the train of inspiration treats me. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

With a confused gaze, Ino eyed the dimly-lit cell she was now confined to, exploring all angles and corners. The woman groaned, her body alerting her to the waves of pain from the wounds she suffered from the brief skirmish. Finely arched eyebrows struggled to meet as she began to recall the last couple of hours.

 _Deidara of Iwagakure?_ Well, formerly, of Iwagakure. He had been listed in Konoha's Bingo book as a missing-nin, abandoning the country for the criminal organization known as the Akatsuki. _What the hell had he been doing in Konoha?_

 _Get up._ She needed to figure a way out of here. Wherever the hell she was, actually. It took all of her being to not dwell on the foul smell of rotted food and urine. _Just swell, Yamanaka. What a lovely situation to have gotten into._ The utterance of a groan left her mouth once more. Not only was her back killing her, it seemed as though she had been drained of her chakra prior to regaining consciousness.

Nevertheless, Ino managed to make it up off of the scratchy material separating her from laying directly onto the mattress. The floors and walls of the cell were made of cement. She assumed the cell were underground, as the walls seemed indefinitely wet. There was a slight draft, causing the woman to shudder, the lack of clothing not providing the necessary warmth. Based on the obvious circumstances, she knew she was not escaping anytime soon.

Ino could detect two chakra signatures above her, and two more a bit father away in the compound. How had her day gone from simply picking up herbs to becoming a POW. Currently, the situation looked grim; however, she knew her new-found missing status would become quickly noticed.

Either Shikamaru or Choji would realize she were missing. She knew she could count on them. She just had to stay alive until then. The calloused digits went to work, roaming their way all over the kunoichi's physique. She was checking herself for injuries other than the soreness to her back. Should the opportunity arise to escape, she did not need a sprained ankle slowing her down.

Ino's impromptu bodily exam was interrupted by the opening and slamming of a door. Footsteps began descending down, what sounded like wooden stairs. The sound of their approach echoed throughout the hallway, allowing Ino to assume her captors were coming to check in with her.

She went rigid, muscles tensing as she did not know what to expect.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"...We can't let her go."

"For fuck's sake. It's not like we fucking need her."

"She's medical ninja, Hidan."

"Well, I don't fucking need her, Kakuzu! It's not my fault these assholes need medical attention. Now, if you heathens would just pledge your lives to Jashin-sama, you wouldn't need a damn kunoichi."

Deidara merely rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was not even going to entertain this argument, especially not with Hidan being involved. There was no reasoning with that man.

He released a breath, blowing the blonde fringe out of his way. He had only wanted to relax on the couch, after making their way back from Konoha. The only reason why they even knew about her existence, was the fact they walked in on him locking her in the basement. Which somehow cued Hidan to believe that Deidara and Kakuzu were entitled to hearing his complaints about an extra presence within the hideout.

Cyan irises watched darker-skinned man, Kakuzu, huff with annoyance, making his leave. If he had thought he was going to get peace, he was mistaken. "If you ask me, she should be a fucking sacrifice. Jashin-sama would be very pleased with that one." Of course, Hidan proceeded to follow him around the corner.

"Deidara." He turned towards the voice of his partner, who had managed to catch his attention. Removing himself from the couch, he made his way over the to the red-head. Sasori was a couple of heads shorter than he, forcing Deidara to lower his gaze. "Hm?"

"We must assess her. She needs to be ready." He had a low voice; deeper than one would assume, based on his teen-like appearance. Deidara nodded, already on his way to the basement where he stowed her away. His footsteps echoed in the hallway, after he had made his way down the stairs.

 _1...2...Door number 3. Here we go._

He unlocked the cell, pushing the wooden door opened. Reflexively, his eyes scanned the room until his gaze landed on the kunoichi. She stared right back at him. She looked worse for the wear, dirt smudges canvasing her fair skin.

How was she even a kunoichi? She looked so dainty.

"What's your name, hm?" He had finally addressed her since their run-in this morning. The door shut behind him as he entered the room, stopping in the center of the cell. His stance was lax, though he was still guarded. Dainty or not, she was still a kunoichi. He waited for her answer, an eyebrow raising when it had yet to come. "Hello? Answer my question, hm." He watched her bite her lip, hesitating. "I know you're a Yamanaka. I just don't know which one."

"Ino.. Yamanaka Ino." Comes her reply. He originally gave her only a cursory glance, this time now taking the moment to let his eyes wander her body, taking in the details. She had clearly seen better days than today. "Why am I here?" To be honest, her question caught Deidara off-guard. He hadn't really expected her to be ready to request answers from him.

"Is the answer not obvious, hm? You're a medical ninja." With his response, he stood up, already beginning to exit the cell. "But, why me? What if I refuse to heal?!" She shouted. Blonde tendrils of hair, framing her face, moved on their own accord, as if showing Deidara their wrath.

"You will, hm." The wooden door creaked loudly in response to his touch, the bright light from the hallway shedding more light into the cell, giving Ino a brief glimpse of her surroundings. "Dinner will be served, shortly, hm."

Perhaps she wasn't as dainty as she seemed. Things were going to be interesting. Quiet interesting, indeed.

. . . . . . . . . .

The BBQ house was lively, table after table seated with cheerful patrons. The dark-haired man drummed his fingers idly on the wooden surface of the table. _She still hasn't made it._ Of course, he was concerned.

Even though they had all gotten older with different sets of responsibilities, Team Asuma always managed to meet at least once a week. After the death of Sarutobi Asuma, they pulled through everything, stronger than ever. "She'll make it, Shika. She probably got caught up in something in the shop. We might as well begin without her."

The brunette tried his best to pull his best friend's mind away from the sole woman of their team. They couldn't keep trying to smother Ino; sometimes she just needed her space. Besides, if they had gone looking for her or cancelled, she'd have their heads. He chuckled, bringing a small smile to Shikamaru's face.

"Most likely." The sizzle of the meat was intoxicating, doing it's job to distract him. Choji was right, the blonde often lost herself in the different vegetation decorating the family shop.

"She'd better hurry up before I eat her share!" This brought a laugh from Shikamaru. Even after all this time, Choji was still the same person he grew up with.

"You know she'd kill you."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

It took all her being not to shudder in disgust. She had her knees drawn to her chest, her back pressed against the cool wall; she was right in believing it to be faintly wet. The ends of the blonde tresses tickled at her skin, as if to keep her from falling too asleep in this unfamiliar hideout.

"Dinner is ready." The creaking of the door, alerted her to the presence now entering her cell. She didn't glance up. Ino wasn't hungry, but she would need to eat to regain her energy. She would never leave this place if she were malnourished.

It was not Deidara at the door, this time. He was shorter, with a very young appearance. The bright light from the hallway emphasized those fire-red locks of his. He appeared to either be in a hurry or naturally impatient.

"If you don't eat, I will have to force you to." With a jerk, Ino scrambled from the bed. It were as if he were inside of her mind, telling her body what to do. But, she was the mind-walker here; he was only in control of her body. If they were the ones in need of her assistance, she didn't believe she'd be poisoned. It would be safe to trust the food, for now. "I will." Her voice was low, throat scratchy from the lack of fluids she had consumed within the the day of being held captive. Water ran freely from her chin, as she drank from the cup, thirstly.

All the while, he watched her.

Ino was too thirsty and starved to feel self-conscious under his scrutiny.

"Konoha doesn't care about you." She choked. "!?" The cell is assaulted with coughs and the sounds of her lungs trying to recover. What did he know about her? What did he even know about Konoha truly? He was just a missing-nin!

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Her raised voice didn't faze him, however. Sasori continued to study the woman. She had more spirit than he assumed; he had clearly struck a nerve with her.

"Oh, but I do. Konoha won't come for you. You're not a priority to them. . You're only second best, Yamanaka." He persisted with his assault. "If that." He wanted to push her. What were her triggers? How soon would she break? She was fuming with his assumption.

"They Will come for me!" Almost as soon as she became expressive, she shut down. The wild, angry expression disappeared from her face. "And when they do, you will regret kidnapping me." Though her voice was faint with the threat, her words laced with contempt.

"Your best bet would be to align yourself with us. We can give you what you truly want. Think about that. Goodnight." Satisfied with her reaction, Sasori left her. Perhaps he gave her the push she needed. Perhaps he gave himself a death wish.

Only time would tell.

The wooden door's creaking gave her the much need peace of mind that he had left her to be. _To be the medical ninja for the Akatsuki._ They might as well, kill her. Why would they ever believe she would do that for them?

Her allegiance was to Konoha.

Ino was mentally kicking herself for allowing herself to be worked up over his words. He had no idea what he was talking about. Her stomach rumbled, breaking her train of thought, bringing her attention to the plate of food he had left behind. The plastic plate was lukewarm against her skin. At least they were courteous enough to have warmed her food up. What he had said nagged at her over dinner.

Deep down, she knew he was didn't truly care for her out of choice; they were obligated to, as she was a Konoha kunoichi.

As long as she was second-best to Sakura, she didn't matter.

 **A/N: What did you think? The plot is actually coming along a bit easier to me, it's just working out the details now that's getting me, lol. Happy Thursday!**


	3. Chapter 3: Welcome

It had taken a couple of weeks for her to turn aside her willful attitude. Slowly, but surely she was coming around for the better. It was Deidara who saw to her daily need for nutrition, while Sasori was the overseer of her assimilation into the practicality of an Akatsuki medic.

She was adjusting just as he had expected her to, if not even better. Because of her progress, Ino was given more room to breathe within the compound. She had been since moved from the basement, up into a room. She hadn't met the other members and her door was still to be locked when she wasn't being shadowed, but there was less scrutiny on their end. Except from Sasori; he always watched her.

He was still observing her, adding everything he had gathered into his notes. It would be by his hand that she would be ready before being given the 'OK' by their Leader.

He had to admit, she was an riveting woman. He could understand why she held Deidara's consideration.

. . . . . . .

It had taken a bit of time to admit to her red-haired captor being right. What he said about being irrelevant to Konoha had stuck with her from day one.

She had loved and respected Sakura. It wasn't until she had become sick of feeling inferior to her friend, had she finally took the necessary measures to trying to play catch-up. She worked, tirelessly, training day in and day out. Constantly was she chasing after her own Sensei, until his death, pushing herself to chase after Sakura.

 _But it was still not enough._ Sakura was definitely more powerful and functional. Ino felt like she was bringing shame to Asuma every time his dying words entered her mind. _Maybe it was with the Akatsuki, Ino could finally make a difference to anyone._

Tucking a wisp of the blond tresses behind her ear, her attention was pulled back to Deidara, who actually seemed to be studying her. "What?"

"You never finished explaining to me how you became a medical ninja, hm."

His question was the reason she had started on that whole tangent within her mind. She was only half concentrating on answering his question; the other half was concentrating on him. "I was taught by Tsunade-sama."

"Why?" He knew how to capture and hold attention; he had always been a pro at captivating the female masses, even before becoming apart of the Akatsuki. They were usually like unsophisticated sheep, unknowingly allowing a wolf to blend in.

She paused, again, causing him to roll his eyes in exasperation, "Are you that much of a blonde? Christ, un." It gave him much pleasure to poke as much fun as possible at the woman in front of him.

Ino could feel the heat practically radiating off of her face. She was most likely as red as a tomato right about now. "Hey! You're just as much blond as I am!" _Was it wrong of her to have felt a tinge of embarrassment at the hands of an Akatsuki member? Was it wrong of her not wanting to say something stupid in front of him?_

"I most certainly do not act like it, hm." He responded, never missing a beat. Deidara was extremely amused by her responses and reactions. Ino was completely innocuous and enchanting. With penetrative blue eyes and a cute upturned nose, but it was her spirited determination not to be appear overwhelmed by her new surroundings that kept him fascinated with her.

 _Why was he always teasing her!_ "Well! Why are you an Akatsuki member!?" Deflecting the attention off of her, she threw him a question.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," He threw her a smirk. He knew how much she had hated for him to deflect her questions or answer her with another question of his own. It were as if they were playing a game to sate curiosity. Of course, we all know at the end of this game, everyone knew what was to be killed.

The blonde wisp of hair flew upward, as Ino simply blew out air in exasperation. "You are no fun," That was a lie, of course. Ino found him to be simply captivating. When she first began asking him question, it was to try gathering more information about the Akatsuki, for when she made her escape, but that all changed. Now, she actually wanted to get to know the man in front of her.

To be honest with herself, it scared her how comfortable she had gotten with the Deidara, and even Sasori, himself. Every encounter unnerved her, slightly, but she was starting to get used to his eccentric nature. Though they were furthering their own goals, they were exceedingly candid with her about her role with them as well as what they had to offer her. The proposal of a symbiotic partnership with a criminal organization, was something Ino would have never imagined for herself.

"Sasori-danna, hm?" Deidara's announcement of someone other than herself, brought Ino out of her own thoughts. She had not noticed Sasori entering within the vicinity to her room.

He nodded. "Ino, come with me." He murmured. He waited by the door for her to gather herself from the couch. With Deidara making up the rear, Ino followed Sasori through the hallways of the hideout. They finally came to a stop in front of two large hazel colored doors.

They seem to suddenly come to life, beginning to open as if they sensed their presence. Pink lips parted, the look of awe plastering itself to Ino's face. She was nervous, entering the darkened room.

The table was elongated and rectangular, created out of wood. Seated around it, were the other Akatsuki members Ino had yet to be acquainted with.

Uchiha Itachi. Hoshigaki Kisame. Kakuzu. Hidan.

Akatsuki members, Ino had recognized from past encounters and word-of-mouth skirmishes.

"Yamanaka Ino." She nearly rose a foot in the air. The voice came from a holographic form seated at the head of the table. She had not even noticed him, watching the tangible members. Deidara nudged her in the ribs, prompting her to give a response. "Y-Yes..?"

The ringed gaze of the Akatsuki leader was severe. The gravity of her presence within this meeting was obvious. She felt his stare, lifting her eyes to his form, but her gaze did not reach his eyes. It was her sign of respect, in which it intrigued Pein.

"Welcome."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Several weeks had gone by, but there was still no sign of Ino.

The first couple of days, they thought she had taken a few days away from the shop. When days had turned into a week, at Shikamaru's pestering, Tsunade deployed an ANBU squad to track her whereabouts.

The trail had gone cold just before the border out of the Land of Fire. They came back empty-handed with no idea as to where she could have gone. Of course, the news was harder on Shikamaru than anyone else. He had refuse to accept the results of their search.

There was something special between them. Ino had meant more to him than a friend. A hint of something more than friendship; fervent touches, intense glances between them. He was crossed between making a move or staying silent.

He hadn't wanted to just have concocted the whole thing, which would only complicate and make things awkward with their trio.

"This isn't like Ino to just have up and disappeared! There has to be foul play involved!"

"I don't want to believe it anymore than you do, Shikamaru, but you know what Lady Hokage said! We have to drop it!"

"Drop it?" The man could not believe his ears. What was Sakura saying? She was apart of their academy class. They had all grown up together. Why would just she drop the search for Ino, when that was supposed to be her best friend?

"Of all people, Sakura, I would've thought you would understand." Chouji did not speak to add his input, but he whole-heartedly agreed with Shikamaru. She could feel her stomach sink, wracked with guilt as the emerald hues watched Chouji shake his head in near disgust. Sakura had not wanted to stop pursuing the search for Ino, either, but she did not want to air her grievances with her Sensei.

Damnit, Ino. Where are you?


	4. Chapter 4: Potential

**A/N: SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY about the way. So much has happened in the last year. Two moves. 4 jobs. 1 destroyed hard drive. Getting ready for another move, but I've already started the next chapter. I plan on finishing this one & I know how it's going to end. So buckle up, kiddies.**

"Konan," Ringed eyes narrowed, their glance casted sideways to that of his partner. "What do you think of her?"

His face spoke of apathy, except to the one who knew him best; she knew he was in fact interested in the progress of their newest addition to their ranks.

He had been watching her.

Truthfully, he watched them all. Their lifelong friendship had afford Konan the insight needed to do the impossible and read the emotions of Pein.

He wanted to see what she would become. She was evolving into something beautiful and deadly, yet unassuming at the same. She would be a force to reckon with. She held a calm and calculative look in her eye, though with ease, she was showing more of a lively personality. She was on constant guard, keeping in tune with the emotions of the others around her, even without having to use her family's jutsu. Ino was diligent in her medicinal studies combined with her knowledge of flowers and plants.

"I think she has the potential to be unparalleled." Amber eyes met ringed ones as she spoke. The distinctive clack of her heels against the floor lightly echoed within the room until she stood beside him. "But, you already knew that."

He shifted his weight on his feet, his stance impassive, screaming of his unemotional attachment to any and everything. With God's Angel standing beside him, a silence fell over the room despite the understanding ambiance surrounding them.

Konoha had really slipped up when they overlooked her in favor of the rose-haired kunoichi. He would show them.

* * *

Slowly, but surely she was earning her position into the order. It was under Sasori's watchful observations, as well as protection, that she studied under Kisame. Before her arrival, her knowledge in water-style techniques was rudimentary. Gone was the old Ino. She would show Konoha who she had become.

"Ino-chan." His voice was gruff, perfectly suitable to his brusque demeanor. Ino bowed slightly, lowering her gaze in acknowledgment of respect. He towered over her, giving her a slight grin, "Do you know your elemental affinity?"

"No, Kisame-san; I've primarily focused on techniques of the mind." If he were shocked by her lack of ninjutsu, he didn't show it. "Though I'm assuming because I'm training with you, I must be a water type."

He took her assumption quite well, giving a sharp bark of laughter, easing Ino's nerves. "Right. Hmm…" Walking in a circle around her as if she were a prized pig on display, he inspected her more carefully. His talent for sensing elemental affinity in those he met came in handy. "I just wanted to make sure, but yes, your affinity is definitely water."

Sasori continued to watch their interactions, though, surprisingly, he was no longer observing by himself. To the left of him a few yards out, was Uchiha Itachi, who in turn, was not totally being surprised with Ino's affinity. Water seemed to suit her the best. She had been keeping diligently to fitting into her new life.

"I'm going to teach a couple of different water-style techniques. Of course you don't have as much chakra as I do, but I'm going to make you deadly, kid," Kisame chuckled. He had Ino follow him out into the water, a lake nearby their base. "We're going to start with Water Clones. Very similar to Shadow Clones; however; they are only a tenth of your power."

Ino nodded, watching his hands as they formed the necessary hand signs. "Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!"

An exact replica now stood next to Kisame, smirking down at Ino, just as formidable as the original. Both forms of Kisame chuckled at the look upon Ino's face before the Clone spoke this time. "Now, you ty it, Ino-chan."

It took Ino a second to remember exactly which hand signs Kisame used. She almost felt ashamed of herself before regaining her confidence. She could do this. There was a reason she was still alive and a part of a criminal organization with high-ranking shinobi. She would continue to prove that she did belong here by their sides. "Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!"

She was unsure as to whether or not she did it correctly. Please, Lord, let her know have embarrassed herself.

Sasori was lowkey impressed. He and the Uchiha exchanged slight nods between the two. The Water Clone was indeed an exact replica of the Yamanaka. Itachi's Sharingan was able to pick up on the chakra of the clone, noting a few changes between her executions to the jutsu compared to Kisame.

"Not bad, Ino-chan." Another light hearted chuckle came from Kisame's clone, "Not bad at all."

"Though you do not have his stamina… though you did not use as much chakra as Kisame. You were more precise." Ino was Shocked! Uchiha Itachi was actually addressing her!

"T-thank you, Itachi-san." Her cheeks burned, furiously. She hadn't even realized her audience had even extended beyond Sasori. Her gaze left that of Itachi and turned over to Sasori. Though it would kill her to admit it, there was a small part of her that wanted to make him proud. To show him that she could be better than what she was when she was first captured.

Kisame was able to show her a few more water-style jutsus before the second half of her day was spent with Itachi, whom showed her how to use those same water-style techniques against fire techniques.

Sasori was joined by another visitor, wanting to observe their newest member. This time it was Deidara who had showed up just in time to watch her summon a wall of water to counter the fireball Itachi had launched her way.

He had rolled her eyes, still feeling a type of way about the Uchihas ever since he had been forced into joining the Akatsuki at the hands of Itachi. Perhaps his partner had been right about the girl. With proper training and attention, she would be a powerful foe. They were lucky he had encountered her that day in the forest. Deidara pushed off of the tree he had been leaning against when the girl had finally collapsed, exhausted from both of her training sessions. She had had a long day, and she deserved the rest. She would need it.

They had been charged with an interception mission.


	5. Chapter 5: Loyalty

_**A/N: I don't know how y'all do it. I can do descriptions, but writing emotion? 'das hard. I hope y'all like this chapter, because I really tried.**_

* * *

The last time the three of them had been together on a mission their captain and Shikamaru had lost his teacher. They left that day as a four man cell and only three members came back, alive. Now Asuma's daughter was growing up without a father. Between Kotetsu and Izumo, it wasn't on their usual business to leave the village on a mission. Used to greeting weary shinobi and happy go-lucky townspeople back into Konoha. It must've meant to Tsunade was running low on options. Which, of course, they had no problems with being sent out. Sometimes it was boring being confined to their booth or being Tsunade's lackeys.

"Eh, Izumo. Doesn't it feel good to be out in the field?" Kotetsu chuckled. "I was beginning to think Tsunade forgot that we were actual shinobi."

"I know, man. But, hey! Stay focused! We can't screw this up. The scroll we're receiving from Suna is important!"

"You don't have to keep reminding me! I hope we finished this fast. I've got a hot date tonight."

"Really? Already? Weren't you just out last with Ino? I'm actually—"

Kotetsu shot Izumo a look, halting him in his tracks. For once, his mouth ran faster than his mind. If you asked him, Ino's disappearance was weird. He and Kotetsu had spent hours trying to come up with their own theories as to what happened. It was like she vanished without a trace. Both eyes glanced over to Shikamaru, who lead the way.

Even though Team Ten was technically no longer together, they were still teammates and best friends for life. They knew everything about each other and for once that cycle had been broken by Ino's disappearance. Hell, he didn't know what he'd do without Kotetsu. That's just something you don't get used to. Shikamaru was doing his best to look indifferent but they could definitely pick up on the emotions radiating from his body. Fear. Anger. Guilt.

Shikamaru picked his pace up forcing everyone else to do so as well. He could feel Kotetsu and Izumo's eyes boring into his back though he deliberately ignored them.

Izumo opened his mouth to speak, but Kotetsu beat him to it. "Rendezvous is half a day away, but it if we move fast, we should be able to make it in about 4 hours or less."

"Then, move faster." Shikamaru commanded.

* * *

Ino grumbled to herself, not that Deidara and Sasori were paying her any mind, her nose flaring as she fought the urge to sneeze. She was alert and concentrating on her partners as they trekked on. With all the flecks of sand from the breeze kicking her, it'd be hard to keep from sneezing. They were on the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Sand. Mainly a mix between the two, Ino hated the feel of sand sloshing around in her sandals.

All in all, she really couldn't complain. It was her first mission! Hopefully all the taijutsu training she had done with Itachi and Kisame would come in handy. She got goosebumps whenever she thought back to that fact. She had not a single clue who it was they were accosting but it was sort of exhilarating. It didn't even bother her that Deidara kept teasing her about her excited demeanor or that Sasori was crabbier than usual. Sasori became more agitated jerking forward as if angry. He was paranoid, constantly scanning the sky.

"Danna, the rendezvous point is ahead."

"Hm." Sasori grunted in agreement, leaning himself against the tree closest to him. Surprisingly he was not within his puppet shell, Hiruko, this time opting to use himself, offensively.

"Do you… want to go back home, Ino?"

The question caught both Deidara and Ino off-guard, though meant for Ino.

She paused, her mouth agape. "W-what?"

"Would you ever want to go back to Konoha?"

She considered this carefully, though answering promptly. "I miss them. I miss home, but if I go back... I… I don't want to be mediocre, I want to be strong. I want to be feared. I want to be powerful."

He considered her answered for a long time, just watching her face as she stared back at him. Deidara continued where Sasori left off.

"You're going to have to choose, hm… in front of them when we confront them. It's not going to be easy for you, but we will not suffer at the hands of your betrayal, hm."

Ino nodded slowly. "I can't betray you," She brought herself to stand between the two men. "Because I… I need you."

For some strange reason, Ino felt more relieved to have admitted that she needed them and had professed her loyalty to them.

"Let's go."

* * *

"Man, I hope we're not left standing around for these Konoha nin for much longer."

"It's not like you have anything better to do, Fujiwara."

Fujiwara, sucked his teeth in response, not wanting to really get into back-talking his superior. Being the siblings to the Kazekage sure had its advantages.

"Leave him alone, Kankuro." Temari would never admit it aloud, she appreciated the missions away from home, teaming up with or rendezvousing with the Konoha ninja. Though she was sure Gaara set her up on those missions, purposely, allowing her to see a certain someone with the hairstyle shaped like a pineapple.

"Oh, piss off, Temari! Don't coddle him." Painted makeup casted illusions as his mouth twisted into a sneer directed to the older kunoichi. She rolled her eyes. He was such a big bully. No wonder Gaara kicked them out on this mission. A few hours of peace and quiet. That was what she needed.

Kankuro glanced down to an oddly shaped bird that flew down, landing in the center of their group, faintly capturing his attention. His instincts kicked in, screaming of danger, sending adrenaline pumping to his limbs.

"MOVE!"

 _Boom._

Heat, a constant ringing, and stars entered her realm, as she struggled to catch her breath. The air had been knocked from her lungs when with her brother shielded her from the explosion with his larger form. _What the fuck?_ "K-Kankuro?"

Assessing the status of her team, she noted Fujiwara was unconscious, lying a ways away.

"We've got company."

Kankuro had already recovered, his puppet, Karasu, circling defensively under Sasori's attack. With their third member down, Sasori decided the plan of action was to then separate the two before retrieving the scroll they had intended to give to Konoha.

The boy was a good puppeteer, Sasori would give him that. He had potential and if they hadn't been on opposite sides of the battle, he'd give him pointers. Hell, maybe even throw in one of his creations as a gift. It had been a long time since he had even entertained anything with a fellow ninja of the arts.

"Ino?"

 _What was she doing here?_ Temari wasn't all that familiar with the kunoichi, not having too many personal interactions with the girl. But how the hell had she gotten involved with the Akatsuki?

Gone was her all too familiar barely there lavender dyed clothing. It was replaced with a long sleeve fishnet top underneath a black crop top, black shorts, grey thigh highs, and heeled ninja boots; the tell-tale black robe draped over her frame, adorned with the signature red clouds. _Akatsuki?_

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. None of this made sense and Temari was not stupid, at all.

"Hand over the scroll, Temari."

Not be a bitch, but it wasn't above Ino to see Temari struggling to put two-and-two together. Prior to this, she had been so fed up with Temari's arrogance and condescension.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?!"

Rather an answer, Ino charged, sending chakra to envelop her hand in a soft green, but deadly glow. With her chakra-infused hand, she sent a couple of jabs Temari's way, instantly setting the woman on the defensive. Unable to extend her fan with Ino within close proximity, she was limited to using the fan as a blockade.

Those taijutsu sessions with that _damned_ _Uchiha_ and Kisame had done Ino some good. Deidara kept to the sidelines for now, deciding that unless she needed some help it was her time to prove her loyalty. Though he hoped she wouldn't keep at it for too long as they wouldn't want to run into the Konoha ninja when they finally made it to the rendezvous point. Though, he would've loved to see their faces.

 _This isn't her fighting style. She's not even trying to control my mind. Could she be under their influence?_

From the corner of her eye, she had noticed that Kankuro was barely holding his own against Sasori. Where was the Konoha team? They needed back up. She didn't think they were going to take this long to make it to the rendezvous. She winced in pain when Ino clipped her in her abdomen, though missing her vital spot. Ino wasn't this fast before nor was she a close-quarter's fighter either. She was cut short by a sharp kick to the stomach, landing on her backside serval feet away from Ino.

It was at this point that Deidara had started paying attention, he had been watching for an opening. This time he had opted to use the form of spiders. He smirked, giving them life with his chakra, tasting the familiarly dull taste of clay threw his kekkei genkai. Spiders were one of his favorites; being small and usually remaining virtually undetected until the last moment, but by that time, it was usually too late.

They jumped from the palm of his hand, quickly scurrying across the forest floor, before latching onto the Suna Kunoichi, not allowing the woman to recover and make it back to her feet.

"We've come for the scroll, and we will have it, hm."

"You might as well hand it over." The grin on Ino's lips grew as Deidara crept into view from the edge of the bush.

"Why are you working for them, Ino!? You don't have to do this!" Temari struggled to ID the other figure who finally made his way beside Ino. Blonde. Masculine. Two heads taller than the girl. _Deidara of Iwagakure_? "What about Konoha? W-What…about Shikamaru?"

The grin on her face vanished at the mention of her former teammate. "What about him? I've made my choice."

There were so many questions and so many different variables that just didn't factor into the equation to get the answer of Ino's allegiance with the Akatsuki.

"But why, Ino? This doesn't make any sens-!"

On its own accord, her hand slipped into her flak jacket, drawing the scroll forth. Sasori had latched a chakra string onto that of her wrist, allowing him to control Temari's own form as if she were a puppet of his own. Not surprised, Deidara knew Sasori had finished with his skirmish and was ready to be on their way back to base. "Ino, if you will."

She nodded, closing the distance between her and the fallen Suna kunoichi. She kneeled before the woman, taking the scroll from her outstretched hand, transferring it into pouch for secure keeping.

Teal met aquamarine, alike. "Goodbye, Temari."

Her vision went black, the last thing she saw being Ino's foot.

* * *

It was like she was on autopilot. She didn't even remember the journey leading back to the compound, but she had made it back to bed. The last few hours was all a blur.

"Don't get up, hm." She hadn't even noticed Deidara's presence. It took her quite a few moments to even realize she wasn't in her room; she was in his. "You need to get your rest. We have a mission in the morning, hm."

"How long have I been out?"

"Not too long, hm. A few hours give or take. You worked hard today, hm."

She sat straight up, leaning far over the edge of the bed trying to peer over his shoulder to see what he was doing. He faced his desk with his back had been turned to her, which of course sparked her curiosity. It'd make perfect sense if he was tinkering with the mysterious clay he always carried on his person.

When she was in Konoha, she only had the account of their skills through Naruto's loud mouth conversations, though seeing in person was so much different. She was so close to seeing what he was working on when he suddenly swiveled around in his chair, startling her into losing her balance.

"Ah!"

Deidara rolled his eyes, reaching his hand out to her collarbone, to brace her body to keep from falling. He, easily, was able to ease her gently back up to her original position on the bed. "You are so annoying, hm. You could've just asked." Though his insult was given with a smirk on his lips, letting her know he was only teasing. She bit her lip in her mild frustrated state.

 _Don't do it. Don't do it._ She could feel her face heating up, her cheeks turning a pinkish color. It felt like her collarbone was on fire where Deidara rested his hand. She felt childish; as if it were her teenage years all over again.

"Thanks _._ "

Why was he still touching her? She wasn't in danger of falling anymore. His hand stayed on her chest. She lifted her eyes to his face only to find that his attention was on her lips. Goosebumps danced themselves over her skin when his hand finally left her collarbone, though in favor of being elsewhere when he caught his thumb gently trailing over her bottom lip. _What was he doing?_

"D-Deidara?"

Ino was completely frozen, like a deer in the headlights, all previous emotions replaced with shock and awe. Yeah she had professed her loyalty to them, but…?

His lips were soft, pressing against her own, replacing his thumb. She was far too stunned to make any sort of movement; she couldn't even think of anything coherent. Deidara shifted himself closer, leaving his chair. He held himself up by propping one knee on the edge of the bed, giving him easier access, though there was a difference in height as he leaned over her.

His hand had removed itself from beside her and was now making its way up her back, before holding onto the back of her neck. He took the opportunity to brush his tongue against her lower lip, as if it were requesting an invitation. Though confusing, this was admittedly pleasurable, and she granted him permission, parting her lips.

Her tongue was shy against his, allowing him to take the lead of that little dance. She couldn't think of anything else but the way she felt as he began gently nipping at her lower lip with those sharpened and perfect teeth of his. Ino let out a small and faint gasp, further breaking down his resolve.

"Jesus," He mumbled against her lips. She could feel the vibrations on her lips as he spoke, "Fuck, hm."

His hand left her neck, as he pulled away. Ino caught herself faintly wishing he hadn't. She wanted to ask him what was that about, but she wasn't sure why she even kissed him back. The whole situation was sort of ironic. It was as they said, when you go looking for love, you don't find it, but it finds you when you're not looking. Not to say she loved him, definitely not. But…this was definitely interesting.

"Ummm…"

"…You should get some rest, hm."

"You can sleep here tonight, hm."

Her face felt like it was million degrees but she was finally able to meet his eye, nodding out her appreciation. "Thanks... Goodnight."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Not sure if I'm actually satisfied with this chapter. Idk, I kinda don't like it. I feel like I have a problem with dialogue. Like, describing character's actions? No problem. Emotion? We're getting there; starting to get the hang of it. Dialogue? Oh, Jesus, fix it. All in all, I hope this is to you guys' liking! I'm really trying. ;-;**_


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